Jar of Hearts
by alexandra.hawley1
Summary: Hermione and Severus had a fling now she's back at Hogwarts trying to deal with her feeling and figure out the new darkness afoot in Wizarding England. Set a decade after the fall of the Dark Lord.
1. Chapter 1

Jar of Hearts

_A/N; As Expected I own nothing._

_The idea for this story came to me while listening the Christina Perri's Jar of Hearts and the rest just happened._

Hermione had known when they had spoken a few months ago that he was a damaged, unhappy man. She had been a damaged, unhappy woman herself, what with Ron walking out on her because she was "cold" and needed to move past the war.

She had been staying in a drafty room in the Leaky Cauldron, living out of suitcases. Suitcases that held the last decade of her life. A boring life with Ronald. A boring life at the ministry where she had worked mindlessly with Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt and made sure Ron had dinner when he came home late with the rest of the Aurors. Even ten years later they were still rounding up people trying to finish the Dark Lord's work. The Wizarding World as a whole thought things were just perfect now that the Dark Lord was gone. There weren't attacks every day now but the Order hadn't disbanded and still met weekly, meaning something was still going on. Even the "Golden Trio" didn't fully understand and they were now full-fledged members. It was a testament to the confusion without Albus' all-knowing presence.

Coming back from a blasted Order meeting is what had started all this trouble for Hermione in the first place. She had left Grimmauld Place in a hurry. She and Ron still weren't able to be in the same room without him inserting his foot in his mouth and Hermione giving him what for. When she flew through the door of the Leaky Cauldon she had collided directly with someone's familiar scent. It was the smell of a hundred potions ingredients. A scent that even as Hermione and Madam Pomfrey had spent weeks nursing the man back to health years ago had still stuck to him. The snake bite has nearly killed him and if not for Fawkes' last sacrifice he would have been.

He looked more relaxed even if he had still sneered at Hermione for her obvious clumsiness. There was some kind of light dancing in his eyes. "Pr-professor, I'm so sorry" She had stumbled. He nodded his head dismissively at her. He had been declared a war hero, against his wishes, after Dumbledore's portrait had disclosed the location of important memories that cleared his name.

"Mrs. Weasley-," he had begun and she quickly told him it was no longer Weasley. Surely he knew, Ron's leaving had been plastered all over the Daily Prophet and she had been made to look like an incompetent wife as Ronald had disclosed his reasons for leaving. She had barely been able to show her face at work and if not for Kingsley's unwavering support she may have left the Wizarding World all together. "Miss Granger then, I was actually searching for you, I assumed you would have returned from the Order meeting sooner…can we take a seat somewhere?"

Hermione was confused but had followed Snape as he stopped by the bar and ordered two Firewhiskeys from an even more ancient looking Tom. They had took a seat in a far corner of the bar. He had proceeded to thank her for nursing him back to health and explained that he had left the Wizarding World after his name was cleared and was only then heading back to Hogwarts. They had sat and talked and he had explained how things had been for him while serving two masters. The drunker they had gotten the more he told her. She had realized at some point he needed to tell someone and what friends did he have after twenty years of keeping everyone at arm's length.

She had awoken the next morning to nothing more than a note on her pillow, "_I'm Sorry" _was all it read. Hermione had been so angry that the next time he knocked on the door of her new Diagon Alley flat she had flat out refused to speak to him. She was a strong independent witch and no snarky arse was going to make her feel weak. The problem was when she woke up the next morning he was still patiently standing there, she let him in for tea, what harm could tea cause?

Severus, she had taken to calling him this by the end of tea, just needed somebody then and so did she. Well to make a long story short the school year started and he was gone, no owls, no firecalls, nothing. She was left to remedy the feeling she had developed on her own. Even with the war over, Severus was not an affection man. They took what they could from each other and left it at that.

Now Hermione was standing in Headmistress McGonagall's office, she had accepted the transfiguration position because the last Professor had suddenly disappeared (something the Order was attempting to figure out) and Hermione could no longer stand to watch Ron strut through the Ministry with the real reason he had left her. That reason was 5'9, blonde, and dumb enough to believe Ron was a man worth catching. 'Good riddance' Hermione reminded herself.

The Headmistress had just got done explaining to Hermione where her rooms were and that she was required to be at two meals in the Great Hall each day unless she had arranged differently with McGonagall herself. "Now Hermione, we have a staff meeting in fifteen minutes if you will just follow me." Hermione had dreaded this moment, the moment where she had to face Severus again and pretend she was not bothered at all by his inability to end things like an adult. These are the thoughts that consumed her on the way to the elusive staff room…


	2. Chapter 2

_As always I own nothing._

Hermione wasn't sure what to expect when she walked down a heavily warded corridor and up to a large oak door. McGonagall pressed her hand up against the door and it slowly opening as if knowing this was a suspenseful moment for Hermione. She barely suppressed a gasp. It was nothing like the teacher lounge at her primary school, which was little more than folding chairs and the smell of stale coffee.

The room was huge and comfortable looking. All of the house colors were blended in a way that nothing clashed. There was a fireplace crackling merrily and plush arm chairs set around it in a way that would be conducive to deep conversation. The far wall housed floor to ceiling bookshelves and Hermione could barely make herself walk over to the long dark oak table lined with the same plush chairs that were near the fireplace. All of the Professors were there. Some were merrily engaging in conversation with their neighbors while others sat quietly going over last minute paperwork for syllabuses for the coming year. Severus was the only person who did not look completely at ease. He was sitting rigidly in his chair with an almost pained expression on his face as if he would rather share his bed with a blast-ended skrewt.

Hermione's posture went rigid when she saw him. She straightened her back and held her head high as she followed McGonagall over to the table and took her seat. He did not even look in her direction but instead became unnaturally interested in the table. Calmly, Hermione greeted Professor Neville Longbottom warmly,he was now the Head of their former house. Filius Flitwick also squeaked a greeting at Hermione with a smile. Sybill Trelawnney grimaced at the sight of her…most likely she was recalling Hermione's lack of faith in her gift. Everyone else nodded towards her kindly.

The meeting was nothing more than formally speaking about plans for the year, which were much the same as any other year. In the end most everyone ended up near the fire chatting about their summer holiday. The only person who remained at the table was Severus.

Cautiously, as if he would bite, Hermione sat down across from him.

"Severus-," She started taking care that her voice was even and didn't reflect the discomfort she was feeling. "I was wondering-,"

Immediately he cut her off with a near snarl, "You always did have a knack for wondering about things that were better left alone did you not Professor Granger." It was not a question it was an insult. An insult that made her feel like she was a lowly fourth year again and not someone who he had opened up to over the summer.

Hermione flinched as if she had been slapped, in fact she might have preferred the slap over the cold as ice look in his eyes. "Very well Professor Snape," She spit back with equal venom. "I will not venture to insult you with my curiosity again I assure you." With those words she stood and rigidly left the room.

When she got to the hall, she dashed towards her rooms. They were located on the third floor corridor that had housed the Sorcerer's Stone when she was only eleven.

Hermione threw herself on the first piece of furniture she came upon. It was a large plush couch. She was fighting between anger and hurt but in the end anger won out._ 'The nerve of that man, to speak to me as if I was nothing but a student who had asked an inane question'_ she silently raged._ 'I can't believe I thought there was any heart left in that man…' _

__Eventually she decided to enjoy her last night before the start of term with a glass of wine and a good book. When the night grew late and Hermione's eyes grew heavy the last thing she remembered was that in the end she knew he had a heart but it was very well hidden behind twenty years of having to be able to fool the greatest dark wizard ever known. With that thought she slipped into a deep sleep.

A/N; The chapters will eventually get longer. Right now I'm just trying to set the scene. The next chapter will be from another point of view…three guesses who…the first two don't count.


End file.
